Microsoft to debut next Office at PDC

Windows 7 and Windows Cloud may be the main attractions at Microsoft's upcoming Professional Developers Conference, but the next version of Office will also be on show.

'Office 14', as the product is code-named, will be discussed at next week's event, with attendees likely to get a glimpse of some of its features, according to sources. Unlike Windows 7, however, attendees should not expect to leave Los Angeles with a copy of their own.

Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer has talked recently about the idea that the next version of Office will be able to run in various modes, including over the internet.

A job opening for the 'Office Web Companions team' offers some more information on what was shown.

"Featured at the 2008 company meeting, the Web Companions organization is at the centre of Office's software-plus-services transformation, coordinating this key vision area for Office '14'," Microsoft said in a job listing for a lead software-development engineer.

"Working together with partners across Office and beyond, we are tasked with delivering best-in-class Office web applications that expand the reach of the traditional client apps in a wide variety of innovative ways, delivering server, service and browser client features," states the listing.

It's not clear how detailed the Office 14 discussion will be at the Professional Developers Conference (PDC).